


Drawn

by ElizabethWilde



Series: Unhealthy Obsessions [1]
Category: Bloody Roar
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Pre-Relationship, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-07-28
Updated: 2002-07-28
Packaged: 2018-02-10 19:13:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2036751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElizabethWilde/pseuds/ElizabethWilde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shina and a confused Shenlong meet in a bar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Drawn

**Author's Note:**

> Song used is "Trip My Wire" by Garbage

*Be careful with me  
I'm a fighter  
And you're a cheat and  
You're a liar*

The man was definitely familiar. //Where the hell do I know him from?// Shina leaned against the jukebox, glaring at one drunken redneck who dared inch too close to it. "Don't even think about it, buddy."

The man squinted as if considering his chances, then slurred and apology and staggered back to his table. Shina smiled. //Too easy.// She fed the machine another quarter and pressed E-13, smiling as "Break Stuff" began playing again. Limp Bizkit was hardly common fair for such a bar, but when someone like Shina "politely requested" an addition to your play rotation, it was difficult to refuse.

Her gaze returned to the man hunched over the bar. He rarely moved, save to signal for another drink or glare at people who tried to sit too close. //I know him. God, there's something...// Though she'd only had three beers, Shina's mind wasn't working at full capacity. Still, there was something in his form... //Only one way to get a better look.// Stalking over to the bar, she moved in next to the man and asked, "This seat taken?" before promptly sitting down. "Is now."

The man's head turned slowly toward her. His jaw was set, his entire posture tense. What really got Shina were his glowing red eyes, though. //That's just not normal... Hey! Well, goddamn, of all people...// "You're that dumbass clone of Busuzima's! Figured you'd be dead by now!" she exclaimed, not caring who heard.

The man growled low and the fingers clenching his beer mug twitched as if desperate to grab hold of her throat. "Don't mention me in the same sentence as that bastard. That dearly departed bastard," he added with a slight smile, gaze returning to the tepid alcohol on the bar in front of him.

Shina arched an eyebrow. He seemed more coherent than last time if not any more sane. //And maybe it's the beer talking, but he's kinda... hot. Kinda really hot. Damn.// "Took him out?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. Ripped out his throat with my bare hands and watched the blood flow." He smiled, demonic eyes gauging her reaction. "Glad you asked?"

"Yeah. Just sorry I didn't get to do it." A feral grin spread across her face. //I am definitely buzzed. Or maybe flat-out drunk.// "Gimme another beer over here, huh?" 

The bartender leered at her, then handed over a slightly-chilled bottle. "Sure thing, honey."

Shina's hand shot out and she pulled him across the bar by the front of his shirt. "You're new, so I'll let that slide this time. Call me honey again and I'll remove your spleen through your eye socket."

The man blinked, then stammered, "S-sorry, ma'am. D-didn't m-mean to offend you, honest!"

"Didn't think so." Shina released his shirt and sat back down on the barstool only to find her drinking buddy staring at her. "What?"

"I like your style. Very nice."

A blush crept over Shina's cheeks and she hoped fervently that the dim lighting of the bar hid it or that he attributed the change to the amount of alcohol in her system. //And why do I care what he thinks?// "Yeah, well, I learned from the best."

"Your father."

"Yeah." She looked the man over carefully. His hair was cut short, dyed black. It suited him. He'd had a change in wardrobe too. The ornate gi he'd worn when they last met--//fought//--had been replaced with a delicately-embroidered maroon velvet top that hung open slightly at the top. //Mmm... nice build... God! He's a psycho! He confessed to murder not two minutes ago. Of course, I'm not exactly in a bloodless line of work... but he did it for kicks! That's... wrong. Yeah. Wrong. Bad. Man, his hair looks soft...// Shina shook her head, hoping it would clear the thoughts away. "So, um, what's your name anyway? I mean, wha'd'ya go by?"

"Shenlong."

She nodded once, then held out her hand. "Shina."

The man smiled, took her hand, then raised it to his lips in a surprisingly gallant gesture, placing a feather-light kiss on the sensitive skin of her palm, just between the calluses that covered it. Shina swallowed. Fire radiated throughout her body from the point of contact. "It's a pleasure to finally 'meet' you, Shina."

"Uh-huh. I mean, yeah, good to meet you too. I guess." She pulled her hand away and looked anywhere but his eyes. "I should maybe go. Y'know, before I get wasted." The lame joke came off as a desperate attempt at retreat. //Which it is...// 

"I'll see you again."

Shina's head snapped up, and their eyes met. She found herself nodding, then stood, almost falling in the process when her foot tangled around one of the stool's legs. A hand, strangely, incongruously soft, wrapped around Shina's arm, steadying her. "Careful. Wouldn't want you hurting yourself."

Her blue eyes slightly wide, Shina nodded again, then shook her head. "Uh, g'night." 

As she moved dazedly toward the exit, she heard Shenlong whisper--//How can I hear a whisper over this noise?//--"Sweet dreams."


End file.
